Survey proves Wii is after dinner console

News out this week shows a survey in America proving that Nintendo Wii owners are less active than Xbox 360 owners doesn't really come as a surprise.

In the survey, which questioned video games usage in the US during the first half of 2009, the results showed that Microsoft Xbox 360 users were the most active while Wii users tend to only get the console out once in a blue moon.

You only have to look at the people buying the console to see that the Xbox 360 is a console that not only encourages a more hardcore gaming audience, but a culture of online gaming through its Xbox Live service.

Microsoft Xbox 360 gamers are normally male, 18 or older and in charge of their television, they aren’t middle aged casual gamers or kids with restricted time in front of the television.

When was the last time you heard of an Xbox 360 gamer that never goes online for a quick Gears killfest or a bit of Forza 2 racing action?

In comparison I bet the majority of people you know who own a Nintendo Wii treat it as an electronic board game for an after dinner experience.

"Shall we play Wii Sports?" is now a familiar cry after you've just downed a couple of bottles of wine and some cheese for dinner round a friend's house.

I mean how many Wii owners do you know who regularly work out on the balance board on a weekly basis?

Stuart has been a tech journalist since 1998 and written for a number of publications around the world. Regularly turning up on television, radio and in newspapers, Stuart has played with virtually every gadget available.